Preservation is a key factor in New York’s economy, quality of life, and identity. It provides thousands of local jobs, attracts millions of tourists, and maintains livable neighborhoods in all five boroughs.
So imagine our dismay to find Senator Chuck Schumer, who has been helpful on many preservation issues, completely misrepresenting our position on Midtown East in a New York Post Op-ed this week. As we’ve said over and over, none of us are against great new architecture, but we don’t want to sacrifice the historic buildings that give this area its unique character.

Senator Schumer referred to us as “… those people (who) would see the city die a slow death rather than grow.”

Really?

We’re proud to be “those people” because we’re the people fighting for heritage and quality of life. We’re the people restoring homes, cultural and religious institutions, and communities. We’re the people who’ve invested in our neighborhoods, doing our duty by serving on community boards and other civic bodies. We’re the preservation architects, engineers and contractors employing thousands of people. We’re the people who stood by New York and helped it come back over and over again, from the dark days of the 1970s fiscal crisis, to the destruction following Superstorm Sandy.

This City has always had a proud, sometimes noisy, tradition of letting people speak out about planning and development. We’re presenting rational concerns about what we believe to be a deeply flawed plan. The hysterical overreaction of some proponents does nothing to advance an honest discussion. We want to continue to have a say in New York’s future.

This is our city too.

We have worked with the Senator long enough to believe he was misinformed on our position and on our contributions. We look forward to continuing to work with him for the future of our great city.

Please sign this petition to let the Senator know that you are one of “those people” fighting for the best interests of New York.

Sign Our Letter to Senator Schumer

Dear Senator Schumer:

I’m proud to be a preservationist and one of “those people” fighting for the future of New York. Don’t accept misguided attacks aimed at preservation. We hope that you’ll continue to work with us. It’s our city too.

If you’re receiving this, then you know that HDC is working hard throughout the city to protect and preserve the neighborhoods which make New York great. Please consider contributing and becoming part of the movement to preserve our city’s irreplaceable architecture and history. There are a lot of buildings to cover, and we can only do it with a lot of people.

About Us

The Historic Districts Council (HDC) is the advocate for all of New York City's historic neighborhoods. HDC is the only organization in New York that works directly with people who care about our city's historic neighborhoods and buildings. We represent a constituency of over 500 local community organizations.